Spirited Down
by Bakura's Girl88
Summary: IY-Spirited Away. All it involved was a bath and food. But Yubaba's grudge to the Inu Youkai drove her to turn Sesshoumaru into a human. Now he's stuck working in her bathhouse. Will his new friends help him escape this grisly fate? (I think it's grisly)
1. Bathhouses and Seasickness

'Nother random writer's block story. This one was spawned from me watching Spirited Away outta boredom. I hope its okay for a start. Review please. Any length will make me happy, just please leave one.

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**_Spirited Down_**

Sesshoumaru sighed. He fancied a bath.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, you're dirty!"

He winced. Even Rin, who was a mere human, could tell he needed a bath. After all, he'd recently been in a bit of a bloody battle with Inuyasha. His hair was covered in blood—his own blood—from when Inuyasha had gotten lucky and sliced his shoulder. Besides that, he was actually going to take a bath the same day he fought Inuyasha. Come to think of it, he was going to eat that same day.

After the initial thought, his stomach growled very loudly.

_Damn Inuyasha. He ruins everything._

Sesshoumaru rolled his shoulder. At least that was healed

"Rin."

"Yes, Milord?"

"I will be going away for a while. I trust you to be good while I am gone. Jaken will be taking care of you. Respect him as you would respect me. And Jaken?"

Jaken perked up.

"What is it, Lord Sesshoumaru?" he asked, bowing.

"You will confer to Ah-Un if there are any problems. At any rate, Ah-Un will preside over you."

Jaken sighed. Ah-Un _always_ presided over him.

"If it is not too bold to ask, where are you planning to go?" Jaken queried.

Sesshoumaru paused.

"I am going to Yubaba's bathhouse."

"That bathhouse! But milord…"

"Yubaba will not refuse me. I have money for her. And it matters not who you are in her eyes as long as you can pay."

Sesshoumaru sighed. He knew Yubaba served demons, but she didn't particularly like Inu Youkai, not after something a lower class one had done. A third cousin of his once removed had wrecked her bathhouse. Still, Yubaba's bathhouse was the most relaxing place he could go, and he could eat the food he needed to be supplemented with—food of the spirits. Human food did nothing for him and he was getting tired of hunting, believe it or not.

"I am going now. Rin, you had better behave yourself. I want no bad reports."

"Okay, Lord Sesshoumaru. Will you be long?"

"I will return in a week. If I do not come back…put responsibility on Tori and Ayumi. Do you understand?"

Jaken nodded, as did Ah-Un.

"Farewell."

Sesshoumaru's cloud materialized beneath his feet, white plumes of smoke grazing his face as he rose up.

"Bye, my lord!" Rin called.

The taiyoukai felt the corners of his mouth twitch in a faint smile. He turned to look back at Rin for a moment before staring straight forward again.

* * *

Sesshoumaru arrived at the spirit world's dock and boarded the boat several hours ago. Night was falling, and they would arrive soon. He was grateful for that, for he did _not_ like long boat voyages. His stomach had a way of doing unpleasant backflips on boat rides, plus he was put on edge. His instincts demanded no less. 

The spirits didn't help. They kept giving him sideway glares, something that stressed the taiyoukai and caused his stomach to flutter. He eventually gave up and kept to the stern of the boat, where no one could bother him. He put his head over the rail, just in case his nervous belly decided to empty its contents—not much at all, aside for gastrointestinal liquids.

Sesshoumaru's ear twitched as he heard footsteps that didn't match the normal hustle and bustle of the boat's normalcy.

A young man leaned over the boat casually next to Sesshoumaru.

"Hello."

Sesshoumaru grunted a reply.

"You look a bit sick," the boy said. His short cropped hair blew in the sea breeze. "You're an Inu Youkai, right?"

Sesshoumaru nodded slowly.

"Ah. I see. Well, here's something that might help."

The boy pulled a rice ball from his pocket and handed it to Sesshoumaru.

"I used sugar instead of salt. I hope you don't mind."

The youkai didn't admit it, but he was rather fond of sweet things, so it was okay to him. He took the rice ball and studied it before taking a bite. The flavor was exquisite! He swallowed the rest in one last bite. What was more, he didn't feel so badly sick anymore.

"…thank you…"

"You're welcome," the boy said. "I know seasickness when I see it."

"…Boy…what is your name?"

"I am the spirit of the Kohaku River. You may call me Haku."

"I am Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands," Sesshoumaru replied.

"Well, it is an honor to meet you, Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands," Haku said, bowing.

"The feeling…is requited."

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R and R please! 


	2. Yes, He's Acting His Age

I was really hoping to get reviews so that someone could tell me if Sessho should become human or hanyou, but I chose for myself...please review. Flame if you want, though I may have a smart-arse remark to shoot at ya. Btw, just to close arguments, I believe Sessh's fluff is a tail. My friend says she heard Takahashi-sama announce it herself. So lets not debate it. I also know for myself that Takahashi-sama said that Sessho is 19 in demon years. I know this for a fact.

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**_Ch. 2_**

Sesshoumaru was glad to be off the boat. He strode stoically through the many restaurants lined up along the road to Yubaba's bathhouse. He masked his 19 demon-year-old nature, but he could calm his roaring stomach.

_Shut up_, he thought sharply, but it was no use. He was rightly famished.

His pace quickened as more scents reached his powerful nose. He was salivating rather heavily, licking his lips as he separated certain foods; beef, chicken, bamboo shoots.

_Keep it together. You can get the food at the bathhouse…but…soo hungry…no! Resist the temptation. Shit!_

Sesshoumaru sat at one of the restaurants and staved of his hunger's edge with some beef before continuing towards the bathhouse. Now he was more desperate than ever, being hungry and dirty as he was.

As he reached the bridge, Sesshoumaru's stomach fluttered a tiny bit. He could taste his small snack, and he hoped to gods that Yubaba forgave his ancestor…

Without any indication to his actual apprehension, Sesshoumaru crossed the bridge.

"Welcome," said a froglike creature. "Enjoy your stay."

He nodded curtly and his eyes sharpened. This bathhouse had a glorious reputation for making customers happy. He had even heard the rumor of how a young human girl had saved the establishment from a Noh-Face.

Sesshoumaru soon reached the foreman.

"May I help you?"  
"I would like a cleansing salt bath and I would like to spend a night here," Sesshoumaru said, holding out some gold.

"Right away, sir. Rin, take him to the bath."

Sesshoumaru's ears perked. Rin?

"Come this way, sir."

He exhaled. Ah, just an employee here. Her brown hair flowed down in two forelocks over her shoulder, her plain beauty reminding Sesshoumaru of _his_ young ward. He followed Rin for a while, until she asked him a question.

"Would you like to be in your human form while you bathe, or you spirit form?"

"I am not a spirit. I am a demon," he told her.

"Spirit form, demon form, whatever," she muttered. "Which one?"

"I would prefer to be in human form."

"Okay. Right this way."  
Rin led him to a smallish tub that was not yet filled.

"Please go to that end of the tub. I'll fill it from the opposite end of you," she told him.

Sesshoumaru stripped off his clothes and did as instructed; he was soon rewarded with soothing and warm herbal water. He sighed and let his muscles unwind in the healing bath. He could feel the charmed salts ease his stress and pain from the fight with Inuyasha and sighed as it all melted away.

"I'll bring you your food, sir," Rin said.

"Thank you," he said, submerging his head under the opaque water.

Yubaba growled.

"Another Inu-Youkai. Pah. That's the last thing I need in my bathhouse!"

She counted her many jewels and tinkered with them, pausing to sign all sorts of documents.

"I never did get a crack at that demon. Perhaps I should wreak havoc on this one?"

She cackled evilly, waving her wrinkled hand over a miniature she had of the many parts of the bathhouse. Rin appeared and enlarged—she was holding a plate of luscious foods for Sesshoumaru.

"Just a little of this should be enough," the witch said, pouring a drop of potion onto the food. No one would know she had done it.

Unbeknownst to her, a white and green dragon was peering into her window…

By the time Rin had arrived, Sesshoumaru was so relaxed he could have fallen asleep before she even arrived. Luckily he didn't.

"Here is your food sir," she said.

"Thank you. Hand me my haori."

Rin fetched the clothing and gave it to Sesshoumaru, who rooted through it and pulled a pouch of money forth. He gave Rin a generous gratuity.

"Arigato, sir!"

"My name is Sesshoumaru, not sir," he corrected curtly.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin repeated, pocketing the several pieces of gold she had received.

However, Sesshoumaru was ignoring her, finding his meal more of a priority now. He ate politely, albeit over the bath. The ornate chopsticks brought chunks of rice, meat, and sushi to his mouth in rhythmic motions.

After finishing the meal, he sunk back into his bath, very full and content for once in his life.

"Sesshoumaru-sama…are you done?" Rin asked him after a half an hour had passed.

"Yes. I am done."

"Good. Here are your towels and complimentary sleeping kimono. I'll come back in a few minutes to show you to your room."

After Rin left, Sesshoumaru came out of the tub, shaking himself like a dog before toweling himself completely dry. His hair came next, then his tail, which he rubbed until it was warm, fuzzy, and quivering. Rin showed up not too long after to lead him to his room. It was a nice sort of setup, like a tatami room, with a futon in the corner.

"This'll be your room. I hope you feel comfortable. If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask any of us workers. We're here to serve."

Sesshoumaru nodded and Rin left him to his own devices.

The taiyoukai brushed his hair with his claws until all the tangles were out and stroked his tail into its normal state. He felt very sluggish from that meal—spirit food was the supplement for high-class demons as well as spirits, and he hadn't eaten a full meal like that for a few years. It made him feel fat, even. He eased himself onto the futon and relaxed himself. His body was more tired than he would care to admit normally. In several minutes, his eyelids grew heavy and he was giving in to sleep…

When his entire body exploded in pain.

He bit back a scream as his bones, muscles, and even his soul seemed to burn away as he convulsed on the futon. Tears streamed from his golden eyes as he tried to override the immense pain.

And he began to feel his fangs shorten.

"Wha…no! No…my f-fangs…"

Painfully, his claws began to retract and dull into normal fingernails and he could no longer feel that his tail was attached to his body. He felt as if he were suffocating as his senses dulled horribly.

After mere minutes, the pain receded, leaving a very shaky, feverish Sesshoumaru behind, leaning over his futon. His chest rose and fell with his haggard breath. His former tail draped over his body and he was bathed in sweat. Yes, a dog was sweating. But he was no longer a dog. His rounded ears were further proof of it.

He was human.

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R and R please! 


	3. Yubaba and Haku

Well, I'm glad you guys reviewed. Keep em coming, I love to read them!

**_Jgal-_** Yeah, that seasickness thing popped into my mind because my dog's tummy seems to not like car rides and such. He threw up on me in the car once, so I know firsthand that dogs get motion sickness.

**_Sexy Youkai (Anonymous)-_** I'm glad you like this story and are optimistic about it. And updates should be frequent. I type a thousand words a day for this one.

**_Devlinn Reiko-sama-_** Thanks for the compliment on his character. I did my best on it!

**_Baka Psycho-_** Yeah, I thought it was a good idea too. It's really fun to do this. It means I can watch Spirited Away as much as I want for reference. Heh... Thanx for the compliment.

Oh, and Sesshoumaru may be a little OOC in this chapter. He hasn't adjusted to being human. Further "adjusting" will be sprinkled throughout the story. And also, Rin's name is pronounced "Lin." You know, the lady who helps out Chihiro. This is one of those Japanese things with the R and L.

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_**

**_Ch.3_**

It wasn't long before Sesshoumaru's now human scent reached the noses of the employees. This created a ruckus in which he was forced to flee from the bathhouse…

And he promptly ran into Haku.

"You! You are that Inu-Youkai from before, are you not!" Haku said. "But now…" he sighed knowingly as Sesshoumaru collapsed to the ground. "Yubaba did this."

Haku picked up the former taiyoukai and carried him to a secluded place outside the bathhouse. The same place he had taken Chihiro, he mused. He slid his fingers across Sesshoumaru's bare forehead and the golden orbs flew open.

"Are you alright?" Haku asked.

Sesshoumaru replied by turning to his side and becoming very violently sick. Haku's eyes shimmered with pity.

When Sesshoumaru finally came to peace, he had become very transparent.

"What is this sorcery?" he asked weakly as his body began to fade.

"We have to be quick. Eat this!"

Haku held out a rice ball to Sesshoumaru who ate it quickly. Before it could settle into his body however, he threw it back up and his body faded even more.

"Ah…Ahh!"

He began to panic as his hands faded to nothing.

"It's her doing this. Hold on a moment.

Haku placed his slender fingers over Sesshoumaru's abdomen.

"By the power of the wind and water within thee, dispel the curse upon this man," he commanded.

Sesshoumaru gasped as he felt his nausea go away.

"Now eat the rice ball. It should help you. Eating food from here will solidify you once more…"

Voraciously, Sesshoumaru downed the rice ball as Haku fed it to him, for his hands had become far too ethereal to hold anything. However, after he swallowed the rice ball, he felt himself become less and less ethereal and more whole.

"Okay. Now follow me."

Sesshoumaru nodded nervously, tailing Haku. However, he soon collapsed back down, this time into a flood of tears.

"What is the matter?" Haku asked him sharply.

"I…I…didn't do anything…why…?" he sobbed. "I hate these…feelings…so powerful…and I'm…sc-scared…"  
Haku's eyes softened. He rubbed the former demon's back softly.

"It'll be all right. I'm going to help you get your powers back."

"Y-you?"

"Yes. Yubaba has put a spell on you, but with the right amount of pushing in the opposite direction, the spell can be reversed. All you need to do is get a job here. Go to the boiler man Kamajii and ask him to get you a job. That's all I can tell you for now. And do not fear me. I am your friend."

Haku gave Sesshoumaru an encouraging pat on the back.

"Now go. I'll create a diversion."

"Um," Sesshoumaru nodded. "Through here?"  
"Hai. Just follow the stairs and go into the boiler room."

"O-okay…"

Sesshoumaru bolted through the tiny space, crawling like a soldier. His broad shoulders got jammed in the space once and caused him to cry out in pain and panic, but he freed himself and got to the stairs.

They looked rickety, as if they wouldn't support his weight.

Gulping slightly, he put his trembling foot on the first step. Then he went down the second and third. The fourth was no longer there, so he skipped to the fifth. It creaked horribly, causing him to jump to the seventh. It gave way.

"_AAAAGGHHH!_"

Sesshoumaru screamed as he was sent rocketing down the steps, but it was muffled as he ran into a wall when he reached the bottom.

"…ow…"

Normally, something so trivial wouldn't have hurt Sesshoumaru, but now he could feel his entire face throb in unison with his pounding heart and he had to overcome the urge to faint.

_I am not used to being a human, nor do I want to be,_ he told himself.

He opened the door before him and warm air washed over him. It gave him a bit more courage and he walked forward to the main room. Nervously, he peered into the room.

Hundreds of little black soot balls fluttered across the room, carrying coal to the furnace. It was entrancing. But the strangest of all was a man who sat grinding herbs. His arms seemed to stretch unrealistically as he reached for the herbs in the row of cabinets to the right of Sesshoumaru. Two of his six arms were occupied with the grinding as yet another arm pulled on a red object connected to a sort of chain. It flew up as he let it go.  
"Are you Kamajii?" Sesshoumaru asked, his voice unnaturally high.

"Eh?"

"Um…Haku sent me down here. I am supposed to get work…"

Kamajii stared at Sesshoumaru as if he was a human….well, he sort of was now…

"…Ah….you were a demon, weren't ya?" Kamajii asked.

"Yes. I was. Someone named Yubaba cursed me."

"That's a shame, because she's the one you'll have to see about work."

"Hey Kamajii! Get your bowl out!"

Sesshoumaru and Kamajii turned to see Rin, who was holding a platter of food and a bucket of what looked to be sprinkles. She nearly dropped the bucket when she saw Sesshoumaru.

"You! What are you doing down here!" she gasped. "And…and…you smell like a human!"

"I am human now. The food you gave me was ensorcelled."

"Oh. Well…I didn't do it, I swear…" Rin managed to say.

"I believe you. I hear tell that it was Yubaba who caused this. And I need a job."  
"Well…I suppose I can help you…you know, get a job…"

"I can not guarantee that you will be compensated, Rin. You must do this for my sake, and only that."  
Rin groaned.

"Not another freebie. Well, come on. Let's get going…"

Sesshoumaru took his shoes off and placed them on the ground. The little balls of soot took the shoes and hid them away when he turned his back.

"Hey, you should thank Kamajii! Ugh, you're gonna be just like Sen, I know it!"

Sesshoumaru turned to Kamajii, banging his head on the low rise in the process.

_THUNK!_

"Argh!" he groaned. "Um…Arigato, boiler man."  
He then turned back to the small space and followed Rin. She led him to an elevator in which they rose to the higher parts of the bathhouse.

"So why did Yubaba do this to you? What's her reason?"

"An old grudge with a third cousin once removed of mine, I expect," Sesshoumaru said, voice quivering. He stroked his former tail nervously and then brushed his fingers against his aching heart. All these feelings…it was far too much…

"What's wrong with you? You're so fidgety!" Rin snapped.

"Nothing. Only…you remind me of my young ward is one…and I am very frightened to meet his witch."

"Fear is a powerful human emotion," Rin said thoughtfully. "I'd almost forgotten…I mean…this is your stop!"

Rin stopped the elevator and let Sesshoumaru out. He stepped into an ornate hall.

"Rin…thank you…I…"

"Look, don't pour any mush on here! I'm only helping you 'cause you remind me of an old friend I have…Sen…"

Sesshoumaru felt his heart twinge more painfully as Rin left him.

Now it was straight into the frying pan as he strode ever closer to Yubaba's office…

* * *

R and R please and thank you! 

Insanely yours,

Me!

P.S: If you have any problems with Japanese words, tell me in a review and I'll define them. I'll define them all if you want. Just make sure to tell me.


	4. The Fallen Lord Sesshoumaru

Here's the fourth chapter. Please tell me if there's anything wrong so I can correct it. I'll do review replies next chapter, so keep the reviews coming!

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**_Ch. 4_**

Nervously, Sesshoumaru stepped down the hall. He came upon a door and contemplated knocking.

"There's no need. I know you're there," the knocker said. The door opened, as well as seven more beyond it.

"Um…"

"Come in already!" Yubaba growled.

Sesshoumaru gasped as he felt wind rushing against his face—the witch was magically dragging him in! After a few more seconds, he was sent sprawling onto a carpeted floor and he skidded to a stop.

_And to think that several hours before, I would have landed on my feet even if my footing was lost so thoroughly…_he thought in dismay. _I'm just a lowly human now. Great._

"So, what do you want, demon? Or shall I say human?" the witch cackled.

"You would know. I want a job here," Sesshoumaru said sourly.

Yubaba made a motion of closing a zipper and Sesshoumaru's lips seemed to fuse. He tried valiantly to open his mouth, but to no avail.

"I will not be giving you a job just because you ask. Now what would you really like me to do? Do you want your powers back so badly that you would take a job from me? Or would you rather be a lap dog? Hah!"

Yubaba unzipped his mouth.

Sesshoumaru, amazingly enough, still retained the power to growl demonically. He bared what little tooth he could and his eyes shone with malevolence.

"I will _not_ be a lap dog! I would rather be a tub scrubber!" he snarled.

"Well then? Let's give you what you want. You will serve me until you can find a way to free yourself. Understand?"

Sesshoumaru gave Yubaba an ugly look, but nodded.

"…Only…must I be human? These emotions…they are going to hinder my work…"

"That is your business, not mine. Deal with it yourself! Do you want a job or not?"

Sesshoumaru nodded once more.

"Then sign this contract."

A pen and paper floated to Sesshoumaru's hand. He caught them nimbly.

"Huh. I really gave you too much slack. Look at that, you still have some reflexes after all."

Sesshoumaru gasped. She was right. He still felt a little of his power, it was just very, very weak.

He put the finishing touches to his name and the contract slid into Yubaba's hand.

"So, your name is Sesshoumaru. A strong name indeed, very symbolic of a demon indeed…"

Her hand hovered over the paper and most of the kanji lifted up and she curled her fist over it.

"You won't need such a name in this bathhouse. Your name now is Maru. Do you understand that?"

Sesshoumaru growled at the butchering of his name, but it really could've been worse.

"I understand, Yubaba-sama."

"Good. Haku!"

Haku came in.

"What do you want?" he said a bit brashly.

"Hn. This is a new employee; take him to his new post. He will assist one of the cleaners."

"Okay. What's your name?"

Sesshoumaru was no fool; he knew what Haku was playing at.

"My name is Maru," he said stoically. He was finally beginning to regain his composure and attitude.

"Okay. Let's go."

The both of them went back into an elevator to go down.

"Uh…Haku…I do not know…whether this is right…"

"It's all right. I'm doing my best. Now call me Haku-sama from now on."  
"Hai."

(From now on, Sesshoumaru shall be referred to as Maru.)

* * *

"We've got to take _another_ human!" 

"Ano…I shall work hard…" Maru said to them. "I was a demon, so I know how things should work in a spirit world. The weak get trodden on. I am not weak."

The frogs and other workers stared at him.

"Rin, you take him," Haku ordered.

"Feh. Whatever. I had a feeling that you would throw this klutz on me."

Maru sighed. He bowed to Rin.

"Thank you for having me. I will work hard, like I said."

"Right…come on, Maru. That's your name, right?"

"Yes."

Maru followed Rin, wondering what kind of ditch he had dug himself into.

"Oh, wow! You're so lucky that Yubaba didn't knock you off!"

Maru's eyes widened. Was this the same one who had been so rough-edged only moments before? Now she was smiling widely at him.

"Well, if you need anything, you can ask me. I'll look after ya, okay?"

"Er…alright…"

Maru felt his stomach clench. He would be here for a while; he wouldn't be able see _his_ Rin anymore. What was he going to do?

"Well, you look pretty tall, but you're a little skinny, too," Rin said. She pulled him out some clothes. "And I hate to say it, but it looks as if you're wearing my kind of clothes. No, wait! Here's something more like a boy…"

He paid her no heed as he bent down, clutching his pained chest and wincing as his empty stomach growled.

"Aha! Here's some boy hakama and…here's a good haori and apron. Is it okay that you're wearing an apron, Maru…? Maru, are you okay!"

Rin was concerned because he had started to sob.

"I do not feel very well," he said.

"Ugh, keep it down! What's the racket about?" snapped another worker who was sleeping

"It's this new guy. He's not feeling well," Rin explained, rubbing Maru's back. He shivered oddly before deciding to lie down. _Yep. It's like Sen the Sequel, all right..._

"Maybe I will wake up and this will have been a bad dream," he managed to choke out. He could no more stop the flood of tears and emotions than stop himself from being a presumptuous jerk 99.9 of the time, and so he cried himself to sleep that night. The proud Lord of the Western Lands had fallen at last.

* * *

R & R please 


	5. First Day's Work ' Nostalgic, no?

As always, I'm glad everyone likes this story. I really work hard on it. As a matter of fact, my mom said I must be under pressure, typing at least one 1000 word chapter a day. I told her three chapters was my stress point! lol. Well, here's review replies, then the story. Enjoy! And remember, I like all sorts of reviews and replying to them, but I write more for longer ones, so don't feel bad if you don't get much of a reply. I'm not too great at on topic convo. I'm too random.

**_Devlinn Reiko-sama:_** Thanx. I thought I gota little deep on the ending, but I'm glad you liked it.

**_Baka Psycho:_** Thanx for the compliment. And it's spelled 'congratulate' FYI. I do plan to change the story later, but now, I guess I'm having a nostalgic moment for the characters. Next chapter, I can't resist...I had to put the stink spirit! It's too juicy to not include, cuz Sessho's a demon!

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_****_Ch. 5_**

Maru had been up half the night crying. His sobbing had given him a headache and a slight stomachache. And he was starving to death. When Rin woke him up, however, he dressed himself promptly.

"You ready?" Rin asked him.

"Yes. Let us get to work."

Rin and he went to the wall with the employee nametags. He grabbed his quickly, not bothering to look it over more than a second.

"Okay, it's the day to wipe the floors clean," Rin said. "Grab a bucket and rag so we can get started."

Maru did as told and folded the rag into a rectangle, dipping it in water. He observed the other workers, then mimicked them. Even with one arm, he seemed not to have trouble running up and down the floor and wiping the grime from the wood. However, he could feel the soreness and wear on his arm after an hour. After they had finished, it was cramping horribly and he was whimpering softly.

"You okay, Maru?"

"I am fine. It is just that I am not used to work and I am not used to low human tolerance," he explained.

"It's a killer," Rin said as she wrung the rag for her partner. She couldn't bring herself to consider him as an assistant. "How'd you lose that arm anyway?"

"My brother hacked it off with a sword I still believe should have been mine," he explained, feeling a pang of homesickness as he thought of his hanyou brother. He also felt as if he could welcome the prospect of being hanyou rather than being human. It was torture.

"Rin, is there not anything to eat?" he asked.

"I thought you had a lot to eat yesterday," Rin replied.

"I…ano…I vomited it back up in the grass…before I came to get a job…"

"Oh…that's a problem. Well, I dunno. I'll try to get you something."

"Rin! Maru!" a froglike worker said. "You got the big tub today!"

"Damn it!" Rin snarled under her breath.

She picked up her bucket and poured the water into Maru's.

"Dump this out, would ya?" she asked. "Just slide the door open over there. I'll wait."

Maru took the bucket and tipped it empty into the grass before following Rin to the enormous tub they needed to go to.

"Okay. Let's get scrubbing."

The former demon grabbed a coarse brush and began to scrub at the tub walls as Rin swept the area around it. She soon joined him.

"This is all caked on from ages ago. We never scour this tub like it needs to be, because it's too filthy, and that's the type of guest that uses it—filthy. It would take weeks to clean."

"If I still had my demon powers, I could melt the sludge away with poison. My Dokkasou is effective in many ways."

"Yeah. Wishful thinking, dog boy. Ugh, this is impossible!"

Rin growled as her brush caught onto a particularly crusty section of sludge. She was surprised Maru had reached the tub in a single foot-by-foot square.

"Is this the tub?" he asked, panting. "This little black spot?"

"Yeah, actually it is."

"Good. Because my arm is so cramped up I doubt it will function much longer.

So saying, he let it fall limply to his side, wincing and whimpering as the muscles spasmed horribly.

"Well, take a break from scrubbing and get me an herbal soak token."

"An herbal what?" Maru asked as he climbed out of the tub.

"An herbal soak token. The foreman has them. Just go and ask him," Rin said.

"Very well."

However, when he reached the foreman, he was refused.

"I'm not gonna give you anything. Clean it out yourself."

"I was explicitly told to get an herbal soak token. I shall not leave without one," he said firmly.

"That's all right. It's easy to ignore a human…"

The next thing both of them knew, the foreman was up against the wall with a very pissed off human pinning him there by his throat.

"Don't ever presume to judge me by what I am now," Maru said. "If I was a demon before, I shall be considered such now."

And ever so slightly, his incisors grew into fangs; it was for only a moment, though. They soon returned to normal. But something unnoticeable only to him had once again taken its place on his face, and that made the foreman change his mind about the herbal soak tokens.

"Here. Take one. Pick what you'd like," he mumbled.

"That's better."

Maru reached down and took a handful of bath tokens before walking off.

"Hey—wait, you can only have one!"

"And exactly what do you plan to do about it?" the former demon spat. The foreman shut his mouth.

"I thought so…"

As soon as Maru returned, Rin gasped.

"Your face! What did you do to your face!"

"Is there something on it?" he asked worriedly.

"There! On your forehead; a crescent moon!"

"What!"

Maru felt his forehead—like it did any good. But he knew Rin wasn't joking. It must have been his anger towards the foreman which triggered his demonic energy to return. However, it was only a small bit, just enough to make its presence known.

"This cannot be bad. It is one of my demon markings…"

"Maru! Rin! There's a customer on their way. Maru, Yubaba wants to see you!"

Maru turned to the frog that had addressed them and nodded. He followed it to Yubaba herself.

"What is it that you need, Yubaba?" he asked, his tone steely.

"We have a stink spirit on the way. I want you to greet him."

"A stink spirit?" Maru repeated. His heart skipped a beat.

He had just regained some of his demonic energy, which would sharpen his senses.

Oh, boy. This would be fun…

* * *

R&R please! 


	6. More Nostalgic Times

Thanx 4 all the nice reviews. It's great to hear from you guys so much. Keep em coming!

**_Devlinn Reiko-sama:_** Thanx. Glad you still like it.

**_Baka Psycho:_** Anytime. And I will definitely be changing things. For instance (HINT, PEOPLE!), there will not be a Noh Face fiasco.

**_Jgal: _**-laughs- Yeah, Inuyasha would be a great help. but a spell like Yubaba's won't be so easily broken. He just had a leak is all.

And now to the story.

* * *

**_Ch. 6_**

"How far is it from the bath…uuughh…"

Maru felt his stomach take a turn. The stink spirit was most obviously before them. He had to struggle to keep his hands down as his eyes watered profusely. It entered slowly, dripping slime all over the ground.

"Oh, look. See the valued customer, Maru? Go on…take his money and get him to the baths," Yubaba managed to croak.

"Y-yes ma'am…"  
Maru held out his hand, holding back the urge to gag as a small bit of gold and a large amount of slime fell into his hand.

"Gggh…th-this way, sir…" he stammered. The spirit followed him to the large tub.

_There goes all that cleaning time…_he thought in dismay. _My little spot of clean is doomed…_

Luckily, the tub had already filled up, and Rin was no longer in sight.

_Now is not the time to have sharp senses and low tolerance,_ he thought. _I am about to vomit, there's no doubt…_

The spirit went into the water, saturating it with slime and making the tub overflow. Maru was pushed back into the wall very roughly. He groaned and blacked out for a moment, head spinning, next to his bucket of bath tokens. He came to his senses in time to see the stink spirit ask him to refill the tub.

"A moment, please," he groaned, getting to his feet. The slime came to his knees and it covered his arm, causing his nose to burn. His empty stomach churned in a mix of hunger and revoltion as he pried the door to the bath water rope open. His eyes were so watery that he dropped the first token into the sludgy abyss his feet were in, but the second he managed to clip on and send. As soon as he did, he covered his mouth, fearing he would be sick; however he wasn't.

Maru began to inch back to the tub and climbed it slowly so as not to lose his footing. The spirit breathed onto him and his head sunk down in dizziness. The beast's breath was awful! However, he managed to pull the water rope before collapsing in weakness. His head stuck in the fetid slime inside the tub for but a moment before he was pulled back out. He coughed, then leaned forward. The stink spirit seemed to be directing him…

And his slender fingers came upon something he recognized as the side of a picture frame.

"Someone!" he yelled as loud as he could. "This is a river god! He has been polluted!"

Yubaba instantly made her way to Maru and threw a rope to him. He fumbled madly to tie it. Luckily, Rin was there to help him. She wound the rope and tied it off around the frame.

"Hold on, Maru…Maru, wake up!"

The former demon slid from the spirit's grip and into the water. He was unconscious as Yubaba commanded the others to pull the junk from the spirit's body. He didn't see the gold showered among the ground, nor would he have cared…

* * *

"Mmm…unh…"

"Maru, are you okay?"

"Unh…what is going on…?" he muttered thickly.

"You passed out before we pulled that stuff from the river spirit," Rin explained. "You don't look so well."

"I do not feel so well," Maru admitted. "It is frighteningly cold in here…"

"No…actually its warm…let me see…oh, wow, you're burning up! Just take it easy, this fever will fade out by tomorrow…"

"What…?"

Maru noticed something in his hand. He unclenched it and looked at the object in his blurry vision. It was a brownish ball of something. He inhaled with his slightly sharper senses and was just able to identify that it was an herbal remedy. He could not discern what, for his senses were not so strong.

"Maru, are you hungry? I have half a dumpling left…"

Maru sighed. He knew Rin was offering _her_ dumpling half. As it were, he felt very ill in his stomach anyway, so he declined.

"Get a good night's sleep. You'll need it," Rin told him.

It was no task. Maru fell asleep instantaneously…

* * *

_**The Next Day** _

Maru was much better in the morning. He had cried only a little.

However, his rest was interrupted by Haku early on. The boy had come into his and Rin's quarters with a message.

"Meet me at the bridge. I have something for you."

And so he had headed for the bathhouse exit at Kamajii's.

"Hn? Where are my shoes?" he wondered. "I left them here…"

A handful of little soot balls carried his shoes from their home in the wall and presented them to him.

"Thank you," he said softly, so as not to wake Kamajii. He slipped on the old footwear and made his way to the bridge. From there, Haku led him to a sort of manmade meadow. Beyond that was a pigpen, but it did not concern Maru.

"So. It was observant of you to see that the stink spirit was actually a river god," Haku complimented. "How did you know?"

"I knew…because I have begun to see it. Humans develop their homes, and in return, destroy animal's habitats. They dump their belongings into the rivers of our world, which pollutes them and their spirits."

Suddenly, Maru had to clutch his aching abdomen. He doubled over, trying to squash the pain away.

"Are you hungry?"

"I was starving when I came, and I haven't had anything filling in my system while I was here…" Maru told Haku.

"Well, I know you may be getting tired of my unorthodox rice balls…"

"Quite the contrary, Haku. I enjoy sweet things, and I am overpoweringly hungry at the moment."

"Then here. Sweet rice balls. I put a spell on them so that they'll strengthen you again. I made four."

"Thank you."

Maru grabbed one and took a small bite from it. He then felt his heart pang with guilt. His Rin would love these. As soon as he thought this, tears began to fall from his eyes. He swallowed the last bit of the rice cake in one gulp, then began to sob almost hysterically.

"Come now," Haku said. "Keep on eating, you'll be fine."

Maru took the other rice balls and stuffed them down as he cried in lamentation. After he was done, Haku gave him a bundle.

"M-my clothes…" he said, sniffing.

"Yes."

"And the swords as well…"

"I took good care of them."

Maru reached into the breast pocket of his haori and pulled out a small paper his Rin had done for him. It was his name in very sloppy kanji and hiragana.

"Sesshoumaru…that is my name, is it not? I had almost forgotten…how could I forget my own name!"

"It fades away the longer Yubaba holds you prisoner. I almost lost mine, but a human girl helped me regain it. However, I chose to stay at this bathhouse, to help any unfortunate soul that might fall prey to Yubaba's trickery. It was in memory of Chihiro herself..."

"Who…never mind. Forget you heard that."

"I barely heard it in the first place. However, should you find the courage, I'm always open to questions," Haku said.

"Thank you."

"Hide those clothes. Hold them dear. If you forget your name, you are doomed, understand?"

"Yes…"

"Now, let's go back."

* * *

R and R please! 


	7. Getting In Touch With Your Inner Ningen

Once again, thanx for the reviews. Here's the replies for them.

**_Baka Psycho: _**-laughs- No, there will be no "yes-face." I am not using any "faces" for this story, I don't think. And what is plot? Oh...that thing that the story is about...? Still don't know. heh heh...but anywayz, thanx for the review.

**_Devlinn Reiko-sama:_** These chapters are starting to really stray from the movie a bit. I should know, I think them up. That just makes it better, right? And I'm glad you like Maru's personality. I think it's quite accurate to his actual personality, with some conformation to his now human nature. Oww...sounding scientific...brain melting...-thanx for the comment before brain oozes out of ears...-

**_Jgal:_** Poor Sesshy indeed! Although we can't say he doesn't deserve a teensy bit of punishment, even if I am on his side most times. -cough, Inuyasha, cough- excuse me. Thanx for the review.

**_Vixen Duchess:_** Hell, I'm surprised I don't know the plot word-for-word. I've been watching it daily lately. I think its the pining over loss of PS2...A crush on Dash? Huh? I'm scared...Oh, and don't worry. I have a friend who crushes on Inuyasha, another who crushes on Miroku, yet another who crushes on Kagome, and one who crushes on Sango. I'm in your boat. And I actually saw that Cat movie on the shelf, but I didn't consider it. Sounds stupid, ne?

Well, now I have an announcement. I am giving Rin(Lin) a background story. And I'm doing this for a reason, so I ask you of it now-**should I do a Rin(Lin)/Sesshoumaru(Maru) pairing?** Tell me when you review. I'll keep a tally of it in this area, so you can see the stats. I'll close the polls after about three or four chapters, depending on how quick the story flows. Thanx in advance. So far, obviously...

Yes- 0

No- 0

And now on to the story, sorry this was sooooooooo long.

* * *

Maru got back late, but not too late. He felt ready for anything today. Now he had enough of a sense of smell to be able to identify different people, but nothing stronger than Inuyasha's nose, or even on par with it. 

"Hey, Maru, you had me worried for a minute. I was wondering whether you were all right," Rin said.

"I am fine. Better than yesterday, in fact."

"Good. We're still on big tub duty, and it's really nasty from yesterday."

Maru groaned inwardly. _Damned tub from hell!_

He stretched his arm out, wincing as he felt the old pain from yesterday, then grabbed the coarse brush and began to scrub at the walls once more. He and Rin had scrubbed half the tub clean in just half a day, a major accomplishment. They decided to leave the fetid slime on the floor. The tub was more important. By the end of the day, they were about three-quarters done with it and both were ready for a meal and some much needed rest.

Maru hissed as he put his arm down on his bed. It was swollen and purple from overexertion and stress.

_These are the times in which one wishes for two arms…_

Rin stared at him in pity. He looked so pained and troubled. She knew what it was like to be treated different, but she could never imagine what it was like to be turned from a demon to a human and thrown into a job you had no choice but to take. And especially to work this hard…

_He's a strong spirited guy, I'll give him that. More spirit than Sen had in her. Of course, he's a dog; he's all spirit and loyalty, right?_

"Hey. Maru, come here. How about I help you? You're arm looks sort of sore…"

"Just a little?" he mocked.

"Don't take that tone with me. I'll let you sit there in agony."

"That is just fine. I do not recall asking for your help."

"Then do you want it?"

"It would be appreciated."

"Fine. Hold your arm out."

Maru did as instructed and Rin began to rub the kinks out of the muscles in his stress-ridden arm.

"Ow…" he whispered, suppressing a cry.

"Don't get all wussy on me, dog boy," Rin told him. "I won't be long."

She began to rub more rapidly, adding a little bit of salve before wrapping his arm in bandages.

"There. You're all done. Feel any better?"

Maru clenched his fist. His arm still hurt, but he could feel the tingle of the herbal salve working on his tired limb.

"I will be."

He turned away from her.

"But…h-hey! Can't you say thank you?"

"I would…if I had asked for the help," Maru sneered playfully.

"Ugh! How dare you, you presumptuous ass!" Rin fumed.

"I have been called that before," he added. "There is no need to become upset. Even though I did not ask for your help, I do appreciate it very much."

Maru flashed a rare grin at the woman and she blushed.

"You're welcome. Oh, yeah. I swiped some food from those Frogs. Want some?"

Maru nodded and Rin handed him a bowl of rice and some chicken on a stick.

"Thank you."

He sat on the balcony, staring at the moon. It was a crescent this time, a waxing crescent.

_Why do I care whether it is waxing or waning?_ He wondered. _Ah, I suppose it's more of a thought that I never get to see it to tell…_

He took a bite of rice.

"Rin?" he beckoned.

"Yeah, what?" the woman asked, sitting next to her.

"Do humans really need to eat so much?"

"It's not just humans. Normal people like me and lower class demons from what I hear eat like this. Higher class people and demons have a higher tolerance and stuff like that," she explained. "I think it's sort of a pity. No time to enjoy what you got…"

Maru sighed. "True."

He took a bite of his chicken, then remembered his herbal cake from the River Spirit.

"Hn…Rin?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you…could you tell me what this is made of?" he asked, holding it out to her.

"Umm…I don't have a demon's nose. Can't you?"

"I don't even have a half of a demon's powers. I can only tell that it is made of herbs."

"Tough luck," Rin said sadly.

Maru sighed, feeling very forlorn and homesick. He cried, something he'd been unable to stop doing since he'd become human. His heart ached for his Rin and Ah-Un, and even Jaken.

"What's the matter?" Rin asked.

"I want to go home," he said softly. "I miss everyone."

"I wanna get outta here too, make no mistake. This is no life for someone…" Rin concurred.

"I will not be staying here long. I must go home. My Rin…"

"It's always about _your Rin._ What's so special about her?"

Maru was taken aback.

"I only call her my Rin to distinguish between you and her. Besides that, Rin is but a child. She needs care, and I do not trust Jaken for that. He is only an imp."

"Oh. The way you were saying it…was like she was…your wife…"

"A strange, but I suppose plausible mistake…"

Maru put his head on his knees, letting tears flow freely from his eyes.

"Look, it'll be okay, I'm here, and Haku's here for you, so you don't need to worry," Rin said. "Even Kamajii's with you. So rest easy."

Maru was confused.

"'Here for me?' What do you mean?"

"You know. We're your friends."

"Friend?"

"Ugh. _Friend!_ You know! Someone who stands by your side, who you consider an ally…"

The ex-demon smiled a true smile.

_I have friends…new friends…

* * *

_

_**Day 5 (hafta keep track myself…)**_

Maru woke up feeling better than ever the next night. His arm was totally healed up now, although he was a bit hungry. As a human, he seemed to be a bit of a glutton. However, he was still plenty strong for a human.

After a good three hours' work, the giant tub was clean and ready to be dirtied. By the first hour, Maru, who had never before sweated so much in his life, stripped to his hakama as he worked. Rin had no problem with this at all; she actually thought he looked dashing without it. However, it didn't distract her from her work like some other girls she saw staring at him like drunken, preppy teenagers.

"Okay, now what do we do?" he asked Rin.

"We finished our work for now. Let's take a short break until they slap some other impossible task onto our little army here."

"I would not call us an army. We're more like a squad," Maru told her.

"One."

"Hn?"

"You used one contraction in the entire time I've heard you. I think you only used one. I think I'll keep track of it now…"

"Don't you dare!"

"Two. That's two contractions, Maru."

"Why you…the impudence…" he fumed. "If I wasn't human…"

"Three."

"Grr…"

He bent down and picked up a damp rag.

"You wouldn't!" Rin said.

"Oh?" he replied, flinging it with all his strength at her. He then took the bucket and tipped it over on her hair.

"_IIIYYEEAGHH!_ I AM GOING TO _KILL _YOU!" she snarled.

"Only if you can catch me…"

* * *

R&R, please! 


	8. Karmic Kickback

Okay, guyz. I'm telling you now that this chapter is sort of random and sucky. And I am very, VERY evil. But then again, Maru had it coming, after he dumped that water on Rin/Lin's head. Read and enjoy!

**_Devlinn Reiko-sama:_** Thanx for the review. I agree with you about the romance plot thing, but if the people want romance, I can't deny it. Actually I can, but then I'll lose what little reviewers I have. Still, I like close frienships better. Romance is hard to write...

Well, I got one vote, and so far, Devlinn Reiko-sama is winning it for us.

Rin(Lin) / Sesshoumaru(Maru)

Yes: 0 (Devlinn Reiko-sama)

No: 1

Just here to clarify this is not Rin the little girl, it's Rin(Lin) from Spirited Away. Random, but plausible. And you have to vote to getthe rest of the story, btw. So please review.

* * *

Soon, Maru figured out that in his human body, he wasn't such a fast runner, nor could he pride himself on his longevity as far as energy went. When Rin caught him, he found himself in a half nelson with his arm pinned painfully behind his back.

_I have a game. It's called 'get the human to barf.' Payback is hell._

"Hey, Suki!"

One of the women turned to Rin.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Do you have any chocolate?"

"Chocolate? No, not really…"

"Any food from Kari?"

"Oh, yeah. She made some food a couple of minutes ago."

"Okay. I'm grabbing a bite," Rin said, winking to her. She released Maru from the painful position he was in.

"Look, jerk. I'm gonna get a towel, then we'll eat. That okay with you?" she asked snappily.

"Conceding defeat? Very well, that shall be fine," Maru said sneeringly.

_He has no idea…_

Rin was true to her word. She dried her hair, and then got herself some food from the kitchens. She then stopped at Kari's post and picked up some rice balls, cake, and juice for Maru, an evil gleam in her eye.

"Heh. He won't know what hit him…he'll know better than to trifle with me…"

* * *

"Well, Rin, it took you long enough." 

"I decided to eat before you. Gods know you deserve it!" Rin sneered.

"You…oh, well, at least the food is here. Thank you."

"Oh, no problem. Kari's food is the greatest, I tell ya…"

"Is it now?" Maru said. "I shall be the judge of that…"

So saying, he took a bite of the rice ball.

"This is…delicious!"

"Great! Have some more!" Rin said cheerily. "Here, try the cake!"

Maru downed the small cake in a few moments along with the rice balls. He then opened the container of exotic juice and drank it to the dregs.

"Is there not any more?" he asked.

"Sure. Stay here. I'll get some."

Rin left Maru for a moment, then returned with a handful of Kari's food.

"Thank you once more," he said before tucking into his meal.

"No problem…heh…"

After he was finished, Rin told him that break was over and they needed to clean a smaller tub that a cleaner spirit than the river god had used. Stomach full and heart content, Maru offered no complaints.

However, after an hour, he began to feel very strange.

"Rin," he asked. "Pass me the cleaning herbs…unh…"

His stomach grumbled strangely and he felt a sharp pain go through it. However, it wasn't bad enough to deter him.

"Catch!" Rin said, mock-throwing the bucket. With a dry laugh, he snatched it from her hands. He spread it over the tub wall and scrubbed lightly until the ring around the wall was gone.

_Grrrumble…_

He put his hand to his stomach, which was now behaving very oddly. Jolts of cold and hot seemed to pass through it, and it would cramp at irregular moments.

"What the…ugh!"

A fresh cramp made him double over in pain.

"Ow! Rin, what…OW!"

His stomach grumbled loudly and he whimpered in pain.

"What the hell!" he cried. "My…stomach…!"

Suddenly, he stood at attention for five full seconds.

_BATHROOM!_ His mind screamed at him as he felt his stomach do an odd sort of flip-flop/cramping thing. He vaulted the tub wall and went hobbling to the restroom, stumbling and groaning.

Then Rin burst out laughing.

"Gotcha! Don't mess with the best, you might just get hurt!" she howled.

"Whaddya do, Rin?" Suki asked.

"I gave him a load of 'the secret weapon!'" Rin said between laughs.

"Oooohhh!" Suki squealed. "You're so mean!"

"Heh! No one dumps a bucket of cold water on this girl's head!" Rin replied.

Maru came back, hand digging into his sore belly.

"Rin…I do not feel well…" he groaned, heaving a little, but wrestling his nausea under control.

"Oh, I think it slipped my mind to tell you the story behind Kari's food," Rin giggled.

"What!"

"Funny story, really. Someone said that Kari makes the best tasting food, but you'd better have a tough stomach and set of bowels, because something in there always makes people sick and indigestion is imminent. So…feel any better?"

"Shut the hell up…" Maru snarled. "You'll pay for that."

"Sorry, Maru. It's called karmic kickback. What goes around comes around."

"Here is one. Do not get mad. Get even."

And from that day, they knew what kind of war would be waged, even if not today. For now, Maru had to recoup from Rin's nasty prank. He felt sick the rest of the work day, and even puked in the tub they were cleaning, but by nighttime, the nausea was starting to wear of a teeny bit.

Meaning he was groaning and laying on his sore tummy for a while as Rin ate sweet rice cakes in front of him.

"So…what's it like to eat that food? I never did…" Rin said.

"Why should I tell you?" Maru growled.

"Okay, fine, I know it was a little harsh to do that, and I'm sorry. Really."

Maru glared at her, but he decided to take her word.

"The food is very good. Some of the best I have eaten. After a few hours, however, your stomach begins to jump and hurt and things like that. Soon after, you end up in the bathroom…"

"Retching?"

"Not only that. You are retching into a wastebasket while you sit on the toilet," Maru growled. "Not a pleasant ride, I can tell you that much."

"Oh, wow. I didn't know it was so bad…" Rin said. "Here, have a strawberry rice cake. I didn't mean to make it so bad…"

"It is all right. It was a good prank, however…ano…'cleansing' it was. Ugh…"

Maru gagged and buried his head into his former tail.

"Indigestion is acting up again," he replied to Rin's unspoken question. "I doubt I would be able to stomach that rice cake, no matter how much I would love to indulge…"

He got up again as his stomach twisted in the same odd fashion it had before.

"I must go to the bathroom. I shall return," he said.

Just as he was almost out the door…

"Hey, Maru!"

"Hn?" he replied, crossing his legs and clutching his aching gut.

"I know what's in there! Laxatives!"

"Ha ha, not funny," he snarled as he made his way out.

"Was to me," Rin laughed heartily.

* * *

R&R! 

Special thanx to:

**_Devlinn Reiko-sama-_** 4 all your reviews.


	9. The Chinese Fireball

I got some reviews, nice ones too, but I'm gonna have to put them in the next chapter. Sorry, reviewers...

**_Rin(Lin) / Maru(Sesshoumaru) Pairing_**

Yes: 1 (Jgal)

No: 2 (Devlinn Reiko-sama & Kiikii-Usagi)

Keep Voting! I want your opinion before I get into the whole relationship between them, be it love or be it close friendship. Put it in a review!

* * *

**_Two days later…_**

Maru was now used to the way things worked in the bathhouse. He knew he shouldn't get on Yubaba's bad side, and he also worked hard. He and Rin had become the best of friends, minus their little scuffles and pranks.

Most of all, he was becoming more easygoing and open. To be sure, he was still arrogant, presumptuous, and stoic; and yet…

"Maru, get your ass out of bed! It's time to clean those floors!" Rin called.

"…I do not wish to…" he replied tiredly. "You do it…"

"No way, it's your turn!"

"Since when were there turns? We do it together!"

"I know. I'm just trying to ramble and wake you up."

"Fine. I am up."

Maru rubbed his eyes and stretched his arm over his head. His muscles had long since hardened from the abusive work of the bathhouse, so he didn't really feel too hurt. Still, Rin rubbed and tied his arm every other day to ease the swelling. That was the smart course, since if he didn't work, Yubaba would turn him into an animal or coal.

Today was once again a floor-cleaning day.

Maru folded his cloth and prepared to run from side to side of the floor and get it shining like a polished diamond. His stomach growled loudly at every pass.

"Man, your stomach is more talkative than you, Maru," Rin teased.

"So it is. There is nothing I can do about that except to quell my hunger…"

"Unfortunately for you, the kitchens are having problems. All the food is for the guests, so unless you wanna eat your little medicine ball, we're out of luck," Rin told him forlornly.

"I see…"

Maru gave his rag to Rin so that she could wring it out, then they proceeded to an empty tub.

* * *

"Master Jaken, it's been a week and a day. Why isn't Lord Sesshoumaru back?" 

"I do not know, Rin," Jaken said worriedly. "But we must be true to his wishes. We shall return home and tell Ayumi and Tori to take over the rule."

Rin gasped.

"But you don't think that milord will be gone forever, right Jaken?"

"Rin…I…just can't say…"

Ah-Un nuzzled the worried little girl. She pet them back.

'Ah, we must do something about this. Sesshoumaru is always true to his word. He would have been back if he had a choice…'

/Yes…perhaps it is time to call in the reinforcements. Inuyasha will not be willing, however…/

'If he knows what's good for him, he'll come. Not just as a threat from us, but to make sure the lands are stable. Even the hanyou wishes not for that…'

Ah nodded to Un.

/It's decided then./

* * *

By the third day of no food, Maru was beginning to feel very weak and sickly. He was the only human there, and so he required much more than the others. Unfortunately, it was survival of the fittest now. The frogs were making it hard to get food because they were so greedy, and any food Rin got for them he told her to have for herself. Now it was lunchtime and he was once again refusing food. 

"Maru, you need it more than I do, come on. If you slow your pace, Yubaba will have you," Rin pleaded with him.

"No. Out of the question and unnecessary," he told her curtly. His empty stomach then began to roar with a vengeance. He gave a shuddering sigh. He felt as if he were digesting himself…

"Eat the rice! I can share!" Rin told him in vain.

"It is yours. If I cannot manage to steal any food for myself, then I do not deserve any…"

He coughed violently for a few moments, then came to rest.

"Look, Rin. I am going to sleep now. Please do not bother me about your food any longer…"

So saying, he pulled himself into a fetal position, breathing shallowly. Rin pulled the blanket over his body and brushed a stray hair from his face.

"You don't need to be so noble," she said softly.

"It is not…nobility…it is…sensibility…" he whispered.

Within a minute, he was asleep, stomach growling loudly.

* * *

When Maru next awoke, it was to the sound of banging and crashing. He didn't want to move, though…. 

Until he heard a pained yell.

_Rin is being hurt. I must help her._

He rose unsteadily to his feet, but was sent flying back as a chunk of wood rammed into his face.

"Argh!"

His vision blurred as blood trickled into his left eye.

"I must continue!"

He got up again, and reached for the Toukijin, which he had hidden under the floorboards. Immediately, its powerful persuasion overwhelmed his senses. He dropped the blade, feeling ill.

_All that hatred…all that bloodlust…_he thought in horror, struggling to stay conscious. _I need to go back to that so that I may slay whatever is hurting Rin!_

With determination, he pulled out the Toukijin, this time overwhelming its powerful aura, but only just. The sword's youki tore at his flesh, slowly burning away.

Maru ran to the main bath, where he almost wet himself.

Rin was being held by an enormous dragon/youkai. Its crimson scales cast a glare onto everything else.

"It's a Chinese fireball from the continent," he muttered. "In my prime, I could take it. But now…never mind what form I am in! I shall protect Rin!"

Gathering his courage, he charged the dragon and slashed at it with the Toukijin, causing a deep wound in its flesh. It roared at him, dropping Rin.

(Dare this fool challenge me!) It growled.

:Indeed this fool dares to challenge you: Maru replied in the language of the animal youkai.

(You speak the language. Who are you?)

:I am the son of the powerful Inu no Taisho. I am the great Lord Sesshoumaru.:

(You? Ha! You are merely human. I sense no youki but a faint trace from you!)

:You are correct. I am the fallen Lord Maru. And you shall feel the sting of my blade on your unworthy flesh:

Maru leapt forward and embedded Toukijin into the dragon's neck, but he was instantly whipped away by the dragon's tail. He groaned in pain, then his back connected with the bathhouse wall. Gasping, he rose. His breath was short and his vision was split badly.

(Do you give up, little man?)

:As if I would give up to vermin like you:

Maru wished he had his Dokkasou power. Instead, he leapt up and pulled the Toukijin out before slicing across once more and embedding it into the dragon's neck. In retaliation, the creature once again used its tail and this time, the blow was more powerful.

Dizzying pain enveloped Maru as his right leg shattered against the wall. He howled in agony, clutching the broken limb and trying vainly to block out the pain. Breathing in gasps and shudders, he leaned forward, bangs covering his eyes. A deep snarl erupted from his throat and crimson bled into his eyes. Fangs extended far past his chin and his claws extended to a two inch length.

The former lord leapt to his feet—his broken leg shook violently under the weight.

The demon within had broken loose of the spell. However, with his human tainted blood, he could no longer handle his power, and so it controlled him.

And all he knew was to kill the dragon.

Viciously, he leapt up and buried inch and a half long fangs into the dragon/demon. It roared and slashed him across the back, but he took no notice of this and merely ripped deeper, until he reached the dragon's heart. He bit into it and it stopped beating.

With a tense, choked cry, the dragon collapsed.

As the dragon died, so did Maru's demon transformation. The spell was once again in place. He again became human and grabbed the Toukijin. Using it as a crutch, he limped to Rin.

"Are…you alright?" he managed to croak.

"…Yeah…I'm fine, Maru…" Rin said. She was a little shaken, but otherwise none the worse for wear.

"Good…"

He collapsed forward.

* * *

R&R please! 


	10. Progress

**_angelgirlmia-_** I know her name is pronounced "Lin," but it is spelled "Rin" in the American version, and for some reason, I like that better. It's like saying "Kirara" the way you hear it: "Kilala." I think I explained this earlier, but I don't mind restating it.

**_Devlinn Reiko-sama- _**Thanx for the comment. And you reminded me of what my friend wrote in my HP story notebook. _Here he comes, to save the daay!_

**_Jgal-_** Actually, that dragon was just causing problems. And yeah, the staff noticed. The question is, will Yubaba? You're right, though. He will feel that. Thanx for the review.

**_LadyPearlDragon(Anonymous)-_** thanx for the comment, however short it was. I appreciate it.

**_Baka Psycho-_**Well, I'm not putting his survival to vote. (wink wink). He'll do what he needs to survive, though. thanx for the comment.

**_Kiikii-Usagi-_** Yeah, I have this wayof gettingpeople to feel bad for him, don't I? Thanx for the review.

* * *

**_Ch. 10_**

When Maru next awoke, he only felt pain. He could sense that there was a tight cloth wound around his head. He groaned, feeling unwell. His back really hurt, his head really hurt, and his leg was beyond his pain tolerance.

"Unh…"

"Maru? You're awake!"

Rin's face swam in his foggy vision.

"R-Rin?"

"You dope. Why did you do that? You could've died there! That was a Chinese Fireball!"

"You were hurt."

Rin's face went blank.

"I was…Maru, that was still really stupid! You shouldn't have wielded that sword! Yubaba confiscated it; now you don't even have it."

Maru sighed. The Toukijin was lost to him now. All he had was his Tenseiga, and little good it would do him in a fight. All it was good for was blocking and things like that, other than bringing people back from the dead.

"How long…has it been…?"

"You've been out for a day and a half. But it turns out that the Fireball is what was causing our food problems. You fixed it, so Yubaba decided to give you sick leave."

"Sick leave? Hn."

"I was actually going to rub some salve on your wounds and re-bandage them. Can you move?"

Maru fought against his pain and got into a sitting position so that Rin could help him. She took a soft cloth and swabbed a white cream onto her friend's back.

"Unh," he grunted, face contorting in pain. His leg shuddered violently.

"Oh, I should re-bandage that too."

After Rin was done, Maru tried to get up. He was driven down again by horrible nausea.

"Don't move. You got a hard knock on the head, you know," she told him.

He put a hand to where he felt pain emanating the most. Even underneath all the bandages, he could feel the bump on his head. It must have been when that shard of wood hit him…

"I wonder…what was it that happened?" he said absent-mindedly. "I could hardly control myself after I killed that dragon. I wanted to keep on killing. It was worse than touching the Toukijin…"

"That's because your demon blood is way too pure for your human body. It's eating at you every time you transform," Rin told him.

"Hn. Very similar to my dear brother's predicament, I see. Tainted blood…"

Maru sighed.

"Father, wherever he is, must be rolling on the ground laughing at me," he muttered sourly. "I'm just as filthy as my own half-breed brother."

"What's so bad about him?" Rin asked. "You guys must have some issues…"

"It's more of a fact that he is a constant reminder of how Chichi-ue disregarded the death of _my_ mother and tainted our line with the blood of a human," Maru explained.

"Is that all? You fight each other just because of that!"

Rin was disgusted.

"Ugh! You're pathetic!"

She stormed off, leaving a confused ex-youkai in her wake.

"What did I say?" he wondered.

* * *

Rin didn't come back until the end of the night, and she seemed very disappointed in Maru since she had learned about his and Inuyasha's ridiculous sibling rivalry. It gave him a _lot_ of time to think about exactly what they were fighting over. 

And he was starting to doubt the plausibility of their reasons.

_Why do we fight so tenaciously? I know that having a different species' blood in my family line is undesirable, but is this really requited?_

What poor Maru didn't realize is that it was within an animal's instinct to reproduce with a desirable mate of the same species. The more pure the blood, the better your genes are. And all animals wanted to pass on their genes. That is why lions killed off their stepchildren—infanticide is a cruel, but necessary process in the wild.

However, as Maru now realized, his human mind conflicted very badly with this. Yes, his brother was ruining a pure family line of old, but his newly enlarged conscience now screamed at him that it was horrible to think that one could kill their brother with no remorse. However, humans had done it before, and so had he; so why did he feel remorse for this?

Quite simply, Maru was not a killer. He may have been a ruthless demon, but he never killed any creature, human, demon, or otherwise, without some sort of reason.

He too respected the laws of honor and loyalty.

With all this ascertained, he knew what he must do to pull together the ties between him and Rin.

He would have to apologize.

Slowly, he rose and walked to the balcony where he and Rin always shared dumplings and any other food they could get their hands on. She turned her nose up to him before she even saw him today, however.

Maru sighed. He shouldn't have moved, he was starting to feel very dizzy and ill.

"Rin…"

"Yeah, what?" she snapped.

"I wish to apologize for what I said before. I did not mean to upset you," he told her.

"The only thing that upsets me is that I thought you were better than that, Maru! I thought you had kindness in your heart…"

"Feh. I am a demon. What makes you think I have kindness in my heart?"

"You were a demon. But that's beside the point. Everyone has feelings and emotions."

"I do have feelings and emotions, but I was raised not to show them. I trust you can understand?"

"It's so much easier to block out the hurt if you're stoic, Maru. I think that's a good trait."

"So do you forgive me?"

"Aw, who could stay mad at you, ya big lout?"

Maru smiled a bit, then began to breathe harshly. His head was throbbing fit to burst, and his nausea was catching up to him.

"Here, you'd better lie down."

"Such motherly concern, Rin."

A familiar voice cut through the silence that ensued after Rin had finished her sentence.

"Haku, what do you want?"

"I came to visit you both. So how are things, Maru?"

"They could have gone better. Damn that dragon to the depths of hell…"

"Here. Just lie still. This is going to hurt, but it should help you in more than one aspect…"

Haku put his hand on Maru's head and began to push against the huge bump. The ex-demon's eyes watered in pain and he began to sob at the pain, but he could sense Haku's healing magic working on him, however painful the process seemed.

Just when he thought he would pass out with the pain, the young river spirit removed his hand from Maru's head.

"Feel any better?"

"…unh…"

Maru collapsed forward in a dead faint.

"He'll be okay. Here, when he wakes up, give him these for me Rin. Okay?" Haku said, handing a bundle of rice balls to Rin.

"Sure. I think he'll be happy to see these, he's pretty hungry."

"Good. Now, what he doesn't know is that I gave him some of his demonic powers back…"

"You did?"

"Look at him."

Rin gave Maru a good look over and gasped.

His ears were pointed.

* * *

R and R Pretty Please! 


	11. Baby

So sorry for the slow update. I'll try to get back on track, but I just found the disk with this story in it. Review replies come in the next chapter, and so do results for whether the Rin(Lin)/Maru(Sesshoumaru) pairing, so don't forget to vote.

And also, when I subtitled the movie in Japanese, the big baby's name just came up as "Baby," so that's how it'll stay.

* * *

Maru was ecstatic about having some of his powers (not to mention his ears) restored. He even went so far as to hug Rin in happiness.

"This is wonderful!" he said happily. "It is an indication on how close I am to getting out of this hell hole!"

"I'm happy for you," Rin said in annoyance, "But we need to get to work!"

"Oh…yes…"

Their job wasn't too bad the first three hours, just a little tub scrubbing. However, after a while, Yubaba summoned Maru to her office. He had no choice but to obey the orders, no matter how scared he got when he heard them.

* * *

Slowly, he stepped from the elevator and into Yubaba's ornate hallway. He knocked on the door. 

"It's about time!" the doorknocker said.

"I have come as you ordered, Mistress Yubaba," he said stoically.

"Then you know not to linger."

"Hai."

He strode through the doors and down the halls to Yubaba's office. She was sitting at her desk giving him a reproving look.

He bowed.

"You know, I found that interesting sword of yours. You were hiding it from me?" she drawled.

"Hai. I was hiding it. The sword is my property, and I did not plan on parting with it. Also, the Toukijin can only be held by me. Anyone else will be possessed by it's demonic aura."

"Not something I'd expect, especially not when you're supposed to be human," the old witch replied. "Speaking of which, how is it that you are slowly regaining your powers?"

"What do you mean?" Maru queried levelly.

"I can see those pointed ears just as well as you can feel them, demon. So stop this charade and give me some answers!"

"You merely told me that I had to become a demon and get out on my own time. You did not specify whether I had to tell you anything," the ex-demon replied, still talking with an edge in his voice.

"If you want to be a dog so badly, then try this on for size!"

Yubaba waved her wrinkly hand with the many ugly rings on every finger glittering at Maru.

"Unh!"

The ex-youkai groaned as he felt himself unwillingly metamorphose. His bones reshaped and he shrunk into a much smaller creature…

After several seconds, all that remained was a companion dog.

:What the hell: he barked.

Yubaba zipped his mouth shut.

"There will be no such language around here. Not near my baby. And that's who you'll be entertaining, mind you."

:How can you understand me: Maru snarled. :I speak in the language of the animals.:

"I can understand you because I am a witch of many talents.. And besides, you can talk normal as well."

"I see…"

Maru felt weird as normal human speech rolled off of his dog tongue and lips.

"When will you give me my human form back?"

"You'll get it soon enough. If I hear any bad reports from Baby, though, you will die a slow, painful death! Understand?"

Maru growled in contempt, the first show of disrespect to Yubaba.

"You need to be punished."

So saying, she conjured a whip and began to lash him. The first two times, he growled, bracing himself against the pain, but after that, he yelped and cried and ki-yi'd (A.N.-Puppyish sound) in pain until she stopped.

"There, that's better. Now go into the room there. Baby is waiting for you."

"Hai…" Maru whispered. His back was agonizingly sore, but there were no wounds. Something Yubaba had done prevented that. Still, he limped into the room where he found a really…well…plushy set up.

Everything was toys and cushions here.

Cautiously, he roved around, stepping lightly. He may have been the size of a Great Dane with his demonic appearance (more or less) intact, but he was still not going to let his guard down.

"Doggy!"

Quite suddenly, Maru felt his knees buckle and he collapsed with a great weight upon him.

"Urgh! Ouch!"

He couldn't breathe!

"Get off, getoffgetoffgetoff!"

His bones all made painful cracking sounds as the baby rolled off of him.

"Hello, doggy. What's wrong?"

Baby picked up Maru by his leg and stared at him.

"You're a pretty doggy! Wanna play?"

"…give me a moment…I must catch my breath…" Maru gasped. "My name is Maru…what is yours?"

"My name is Baby. Do you do tricks?"

"Of course your pet does tricks!"

Yubaba stood in the doorway.

"Here. Just in case he won't, use this collar, Baby."

Yubaba walked up to Maru with an ebony black leather collar. He backed away in fright.

"Come here now!"

Submissively, the humanoid stepped forward and the witch fastened the collar around his neck.

"Just push this button here, and you'll convince him to do a trick."

Baby took the control from his mother and pushed the button.

Immediately, a powerful electric shock went through Maru's dog body. His ears flattened back and he let out a small whine.

"Doggy, lay down!" Baby ordered, pressing the button.

The electric shock brought Maru to his knees.

"Good doggy!" Yubaba cackled. "I'll leave you two to play now."

So saying, she strode off, leaving the baby and the dog to "play."

Maru stayed down, panting. He felt so tired, so awful…

"I wanna play!"

"Can we…play later?"

"I wanna play NOW!"

Baby picked him up again, this time by the tail, and he yelped.

"Let's play horsey!"

"But as you can see, you are much too big…"

"If you don't, Baba will kill you…"

"Hrm…climb on…" Maru said, gulping.

Straining every muscle in his body a thousand fold, he walked the toddler around the entire room.

"Whee! Go faster!" Baby cried, yanking Maru's ears.

Spurred by pain, Maru tried to run, but merely collapsed in exhaustion.

"I wanna go now!" Baby ordered, pressing the button.

Maru yelped at the shock and his body tremored, but he did not move.

"Get up!"

The ex-demon whined in distress.

_This is going to be a long, tedious job…_

_

* * *

_

R & R pretty please!


	12. A Reprieve

****

Okay, I'm stressed. I am sorry bout the slowness, as usual, but school is killing me. I hate being a junior...

N.E. wayz, I was going to end the Rin(Lin)/Maru(Sesshoumaru) thing, but it's a tie! C'mon, a few more votes, peeps! I need to tilt it one way!

**_Rin(Lin)/Maru(Sesshoumaru) Pairing:_**

**Yes: Two**

**No: Two**

**_

* * *

_**

**_Six Days Later_**

Maru ki-yi'd as he was thrown against the wall. Baby was, as his name implied, a baby after all, and so he took awful care of the poor ex-demon. Maru was treated like an object rather than a living animal, and between Baby's abuse and horsey rides, he knew he had fractured several ribs.

"Inu-Maru, sit boy!"

Maru sat obediently. He winced as his dog stomach growled.

"Baby-sama…can I have something to eat?"

"Eat? Sure!"

The baby proffered a bowl of food to the dog, which looked rather old and unappetizing, but he dove into it ravenously, for he had not eaten in the whole time he was there.

"I forgot Baba gave the food to me, sorry," Baby said nonchalantly.

Maru rolled his eyes as he gulped the food greedily. It was much more than he could have normally eaten, but he made sure to eat every bite.

Finally, he collapsed back with a contented doggy belch. His full stomach bulged out and he had half a mind to fall asleep right there…

"Come on, Inu-Maru. I wanna see you run! Can you pull me in my wagon?"

Maru gasped.

"B-but…Baby, I must rest…please…"

The collar's electricity punished him.

"Wanna play NOW!"

The demon had no choice. He allowed the baby to harness him and leap into the giant wagon.

"Hold on," he grated, still rather irked at having to do this. He pulled with all his strength and the wagon rolled along at a steady speed of ten miles an hour.

"WHEE!" Baby yelled. It hurt Maru's ears very badly when he did that, but he kept going. When he grew tired in five minutes and rested, Baby forced him to go on with the collar.

"I cannot!" he said, starting to feel rather ill. "I do not feel well…"

His stomach twisted as if to emphasize the point. Obviously, the overripe food had not agreed with his system, and all the exertion at the moment was not helping at all, not to mention eating all the food in one sitting had been foolish. However, the collar proved Baby's point and he was forced to pull.

_I feel so sick…_he thought hopelessly. _I cannot…I am…going…to…_

With an almighty heave, Maru parted with his aged supper right on the cushioned ground. He collapsed after a few minutes in weakness, unable to move an inch. He panted hopelessly.

"PULL ME NOW!"

The brutal shock of the collar attacked him, but he not only was unable to move, but he had _made up his mind_ not to move. The pain came again and again, sending his brain to the funny farm, but he wouldn't move.

"BABA! INU-MARU WON'T MOVE!" the baby wailed piteously. He banged on the walls and created a ruckus that stimulated the battered ex-youkai into vomiting once more before Yubaba came up to investigate.

"You filthy animal, just look at what you've done!" Yubaba snarled.

"Your…baby…did not…feed…me…" Maru groaned. "And when he did…the food made me…sick…from being so old…"

Yubaba growled. She knew she couldn't really blame it on him, no matter how much she wanted to.

"You are off this duty! It's back to tub-scrubbing for you!" she said, snapping her fingers.

Instantly, Maru was returned to his humanoid form complete with at least the moon and ears.

"Thank you, Yubaba-sama," he said, clutching his broken ribs. Those hadn't healed.

"Get out of my sight, you ruffian!"

Maru bowed, nearly crying out in agony as his ribs exploded in excruciating pain, before leaving and heading for the worker's rooms.

"Hey, Maru! Where have you been, I've been worried sick…are you okay?"

Rin didn't have much opportunity to question the ex-youkai before he fell to his knees and groaned.

"What's wrong?"

"My ribs…are injured…and I am starving…" Maru managed to say.

"Do you want a rice ball? Haku left some for you a few hours ago…"

Maru's stomach twisted sickeningly, obviously still upset from the other food he'd eaten.

"No thanks. I have eaten enough food today, if you know what I mean…"

"…Hmm…then let's get you bandaged up. Take your shirt off and I'll see how bad it is," Rin ordered. As soon as Maru pulled off his shirt, she began pressing her fingers on his flesh.

"Tell me where it hurts the most."

Maru tried to suppress his whimpers as she pressed onto several parts of his lower torso, but he cried out when she pressed a certain area on the right.

"Unh!"

"Hurts bad there, eh? Yeah, that's probably broken, cracked at best. Sorry for this in advance, but…"

With that, Rin ran her finger down the bone, causing Maru to whimper very loudly in badly suppressed pain.

"It's cracked. You're lucky it's not broken."

Continuing her diagnosis, Rin found several other cracked ribs, and a broken one right under his left pec.

"These'll sure take a while to heal. What did Yubaba have you doing?"

"Taking care of her baby."

"That must be one hell of a baby…"

"Hn."

Maru relayed his ventures to Rin as she bandaged his injured chest and covered a rather nasty gash to the head which had swollen up.

"Giant baby torture, all for a sword? That's awful. Well, rest up, Maru. You're gonna need it if you want those injuries to heal up, and you'll want them to heal so you can work. Understand?"

Maru didn't reply. He was shivering very badly and his complexion was ashen.

"I do not feel very well…" he muttered sickly. "I've never felt so much pain…I'm starting to feel really sick…"

"I keep forgetting you've got human tolerance. This is really bad pain for a human," Rin remarked worriedly. She felt his forehead.

"You don't have much of a fever, thank God for that. But you oughta rest," she said.

"H…hai," he replied, his eyes flickering. He laid down on his bed and tried to sleep through his pain…

* * *

Pretty please R&R! I know I'm a bad authoress!


End file.
